SARAH SAYS: One evening I was serving homemade macaroons and ice cream for a family dinner, and I cut one of the cookies open and placed some ice cream inside! It was so delicious! And, the macaroons were so chewy and did not crack, the way other ice cream sandwiches made with harder cookies always do! The macaroons were absolutely fab! Hence, my new recipe invention idea! See also our Macaroon Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe – Gluten-free
FROZEN RECIPE HELP
KELLY CA SAYS: “Sarah, your call on using the macaroons as the sandwich part of the ice cream sandwich was right-on! Even when the ice cream is frozen hard, the macaroons are nice and chewy / moist.”
INSTRUCTIONS AND INGREDIENTS
STEP I: MAKE SARAH'S FAVORITE COCONUT MACAROONS
SARAH'S FAVORITE COCONUT MACAROONS – GLUTEN FREE / Recipe alone
Makes 18
INGREDIENTS
3 1/4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup minus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 fat pinch (1/8 teaspoon) of salt
3 large egg whites
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position the oven shelf to the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cover a baking sheet, that can fit in your freezer, with aluminum foil and pre-chill it in your freezer. You will need it in STEP II: MAKE THE MACAROON “YUM” ICE CREAM POPS, Step 1.
2. Place the coconut, sugar and salt in a large bowl and stir till combined
3. Add the egg whites and mix them in with a fork.
4. On a silpat mat lined baking sheet, using a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop, place mixture into a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, pressing to form an even layer.
5. When layer is even, and compressed, remove the ring. Continue forming cookies like this, till your baking sheet is full.
NOTE: I baked 6 cookies per sheet, but, you could do more, since they don't spread.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Cool macroons on the baking sheet!
STEP II: MAKE THE MACAROON “YUM” ICE CREAM POPS WITH TOPPINGS
INGREDIENTS
Cookies:
18 macaroon cookies, cooled; prepared from STEP I, above
Ice Cream:
4 1/2 cups ice cream; Use about 1/4 cup of ice cream per pop/sandwich. The macaroon recipe makes 18 pops x 1/4 cup ice cream each = 4 1/2 cups ice cream needed
Suggested flavors for variety:
1 pint (2 cups) Dulce De Leche ice cream
1 pint (2 cups) Blood Orange Sorbet
1 pint (2 cups) Coffee ice cream
INSTRUCTIONS
1. While you wait for the macaroons to cool, remove your ice cream or sorbet from the freezer so is soft enough to scoop.
When macaroons are cool, remove them from the baking sheet and place them on the baking sheet that you had pre-chilled in the freezer, from STEP I: MAKE SARAH'S FAVORITE COCONUT MACAROONS, Step
NOTE: From this point on, you must move quickly or your ice cream will become unmanageable.
2. Take a 2-inch ice cream scoop and form a nice, even scoop of ice cream or about 1/4 cup each.
3. Place the scoop on one of the macaroons, pushing down gently, so it can bond to the cookie.
4. Place the sheet back in the freezer for about 20 minutes, so the ice cream can firm up.
Place another foil-lined sheet in the freezer to pre-chill. This is the sheet you will place the pops/sandwiches on, after they are dipped.
5. After 20 minutes, place popsicle stick in the center of each ice cream ball. DO NOT stick it through the macaroon!!
Place sheet back in the freezer for at least 2 hours, so the ice cream is nice and hard when you dip the pops in the chocolate. If you want to, you can leave them in the freezer overnight. This will insure that the ice cream is nice and hard.
6. After your pops have chilled sufficiently, prepare your chocolate coating. But, keep the pops in the freezer.
STORAGE
Once firm, serve immediately or wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve. Pops will keep for about 1 month forzen.
B. Prepare the Toppings and Make the Chocolate Coating
SUGGESTED TOPPINGS
INGREDIENTS
You can use whatever you like to sprinkle your pops or sandwiches with, depending on the flavor of the ice cream or sorbet that you use.
You must chop your toppings and have them all ready to go when you are about to dip your pops/sandwiches.
This is something you can do while you are waiting for your ice cream to chill.
I just placed each of them on individual plates, for dipping.
I paired them this way:
For Dulce De Leche Ice Cream= Chopped toasted almonds and/or toasted coconut
For Blood Orange Sorbet= Very finely chopped crystallized ginger
For Coffee Ice Cream= Chopped chocolate covered espresso beans and/or toasted coconut
You may also use colored sprinkles, which are especially nice when you are making them for kids. There's just something about rainbow sprinkles that brings out the kid in all of us.
CHOCOLATE COATING
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces chocolate chips, gluten free; Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips are gluten-free, but check package
2 tablespoons shortening
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Do not let the bottom of your bowl touch the simmering water. You want a gentle heat.
2. Add chocolate chips and shortening to the bowl.
3. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, till chocolate is completely melted and shortening is incorporated.
4. Wipe the bottom of the bowl with a towel, and then pour melted chocolate into a deep narrow container, for dipping. I used a one cup glass measuring cup.
Do not pour all the chocolate into the cup. You do not want it to go up and over the top of the cup when you dip your pop/sandwich.
Leave the remaining chocolate, in the bowl, over the pan of warm water, with the burner OFF.
As you use up your chocolate, refill the cup, making sure that any water on the bottom of your bowl, does not get in your chocolate.
5. Remove one pop at a time from the freezer, leaving the rest of them on the sheet, in the freezer.
6. Holding the pop by the stick, dip it into the chocolate until it is completely covered. Make sure you go all the way up to the stick. This will help prevent dripping, when the pop is eaten, since the ice cream melts at a lower temperature than the chocolate.
Lift the pop out of the chocolate and allow excess chocolate to drip back into the container. Since the ice cream is cold, the chocolate will start to harden fairly quickly.
7. Immediately, dip the flat end of the pop into whatever topping you prefer.
Since crystallized ginger is a rather strong flavor, I opted to sprinkle it on the pop, rather than dip it, so there wouldn't be too much on the pop.
For the other flavors, I pressed the flat end onto a plate, with the selected topping.
8. Place the pops, flat side down, on the pre-chilled foil-lined baking sheet prepared earlier, STEP II: MAKE THE MACAROON “YUM” ICE CREAM POPS, Step 4.
Work quickly to cover your pops. If you find that you have having melting issues, pop the baking sheet back in the freezer so the ice cream can firm-up again.
Once firm, serve immediately or wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.
STORAGE
Pops will keep for about 1 month frozen.
STEP III: MAKE THE “YUM” TOPPERS, OPTIONAL
“YUM” TOPPERS
If you really want to challenge yourself, you can attempt to make the “Yum” toppers that I made for a few of my pops. I made a few, because I lost more than half of them to breakage. If you have a lot of patience, give it a try. Omit the Toppings in Step II.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup Candy Melts; check package if gluten-free
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the Topper:
1. Place candy melts in the microwave and heat until ALMOST melted. Remove and then, stir they are completely melted and smooth.
2. Cover a small baking sheet with foil and place about 2 tablespoons of the melts on the sheet.
3. Spread the melts out, using an offset spatula, to form an even and thin layer.
Chill the sheet in the refrigerator until it is just set and gently loosen it from the foil. It is important that the candy melts are a little under-set when you do this, if the candy melts and really cold, the topper will crack, when you try to cut it out.
YES, it's challenging to get it just right!
4. Cut topper using a scalloped cookie cutter that is just smaller than the top of your pop.
Ever so gently, push topper out of the cutter. If you press too hard, you will crack the topper.
5. To write on the topper, melt a small amount of contrasting color candy melts and then place it in a ziptop sandwich bag.
Snip a VERY SMALL hole in the corner of the bag and press out the melts, to write your message.
You may also use a small disposable pastry bag and a small plain piping tip, for more control, if you like.
You may also use a large open tip piping tip to cut out polka dots to decorate your pops/sandwiches. This is WAY less challenging.
Dip the Macaroon Ice Cream Pop:
1. Place a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Do not let the bottom of your bowl touch the simmering water. You want a gentle heat.
2. Add chocolate chips and shortening to the bowl.
3. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, till chocolate is completely melted and shortening is incorporated.
4. Wipe the bottom of the bowl with a towel, and then pour melted chocolate into a deep narrow container, for dipping. I used a one cup glass measuring cup.
Do not pour all the chocolate into the cup. You do not want it to go up and over the top of the cup when you dip your pop/sandwich.
Leave the remaining chocolate, in the bowl, over the pan of warm water, with the burner OFF.
As you use up your chocolate, refill the cup, making sure that any water on the bottom of your bowl, does not get in your chocolate.
5. Remove one pop at a time from the freezer, leaving the rest of them on the sheet, in the freezer.
6. Holding the pop by the stick, dip it into the chocolate until it is completely covered. Make sure you go all the way up to the stick. This will help prevent dripping, when the pop is eaten, since the ice cream melts at a lower temperature than the chocolate.
Lift the pop out of the chocolate and allow excess chocolate to drip back into the container. Since the ice cream is cold, the chocolate will start to harden fairly quickly.
7. Immediately place the topper in the center of the pop before the chocolate hardens so it will stick.
8. Let the chocolate firm up slightly, for about 15 seconds, and place your pop, topper side down, on the pre-chilled foil-lined baking sheet prepared earlier, STEP II: MAKE THE MACAROON “YUM” ICE CREAM POPS, Step 4.
Work quickly to cover your pops. If you find that you have having melting issues, pop the baking sheet back in the freezer so the ice cream can firm-up again.
9. Once firm, serve immediately or wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.
STORAGE
Pops will keep for about 1 month frozen.
